Yezidis around the world are holding sorrowful 11 year commemorations to remember the genocide perpetrated by ISIS beginning on 3 August 2014. We reflect on the Yezidi civilians who were massacred in cold blood and those who were abducted and remain missing. Our community does not feel respected as an indigenous community of Iraq and the Middle East, and the basic needs and rights that our people – or any people – require and deserve have not been met. Below is a comprehensive report issued one year ago outlining topics that need to be addressed in order for Yezidis to live safely and with dignity in Iraq.
Sadly, government bodies have failed in their responsibility to protect our rights and aid in our recovery. However, in the last few years, we Yezidis have been able to raise these concerns at the highest levels around the world. It seems that powerful stakeholders believe that Yezidis will eventually tire of advocating for a better future for our community. But they should understand that we will never, ever give up in the fight for our rights and for justice.
FYF Executive Director co-authors Atlantic Council opinion piece: An open wound, a fading light: Marking eleven years since the Yezidi genocide
FYF’s Pari Ibrahim and Sinjar Academy’s Murad Ismail co-authored this article to highlight some of the most important challenges facing the Yezidi community as we mark 11 years since the beginning of the Yezidi Genocide.
Read the full article here: An open wound, a fading light: Marking eleven years since the Yezidi genocide
11 years on, the pain remains. For our community, the YezidiGenocide did not end in 2014 — it still echoes in our lives today. Around 2,600 Yezidis are still missing.
11 years on, the pain remains. For our community, the YezidiGenocide did not end in 2014 — it still echoes in our lives today. Around 2,600 Yezidis are still missing.
Commemorating the Yezidi Genocide on Capitol Hill
FYF’s Executive Director Pari Ibrahim, together with Sinjar Academy and Yazda, led a coordinated Yezidi delegation of advocates and allies in Washington, DC, to commemorate the genocide at the U.S. Capitol and call for continued U.S. support for the Yezidi people.
The event featured remarks from the International Religious Freedom Ambassador nominee, Mark Walker, USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi, prominent advocate Nadine Maenza, and other friends and allies, along with powerful statements from the Yezidi community.
In a separate meeting, the Yezidi delegation met with Abraham Hamadeh to discuss the ongoing challenges facing the Yezidi community and explore tangible steps the United States can take to support recovery, justice, and long-term resilience.
11 Years On: The Yezidi Genocide and the Road to Recovery
Leading up to the 11th commemoration of the Yezidi Genocide, FYF joined the Atlantic Council for a discussion on the long road to justice and recovery.
